Track supporting means



June 10, 1952 2,599,615

C- DAHLBERG TRACK SUPPORTING MEANS Filed A 24. 1950 INVENTOR.

CARL DAHLERG nib M AGENT FIG. I

Patented June 10, 1952 h 2,599fe h mITRACKSUPPORTING:MEANS: rfi l. hlberalDuluth, Mat;as igsosg gg i lialfmtbi'Mattifi L Friedman, ,Duluth, i I h h a a -Application April-24, iesasriarnm157,695 l a "This inventionrelates to taxiallyiotatabletrack for transporting objects onhooksrzand hasspecial referenceito a novel means for-supporting such track. j

In myco-periding-applicatiori, Serial No. 78,871,; I have disclosed an axially rotatable track having a spiral arranged on the outer surface thereof, by means of,whichrobjectsonrhooksmay be moved along the track. It isgoneofr-the principal objects of. theinstant invention to provide simple and eflicient meanszto support the track along its straight runs. l l

Another. object istoprovide a novelsupporting hook forthe track. a 1

Another object is to providea novel coupling for the individual lengths of track which functions efficiently as such and which will serve as a part of the spiral track and function efliciently in conjunction with the track support, yet will not interfere with the rotation of the track.

Another object, more specific, is to provide a saddle bearing having ball bearings mounted therein to provide a more emcient mounting for the rotatable track.

Another object is to provide a solid coupling member having means at each end thereof connect adjacent track sections, the diameter of the coupling being the same as that of the track, and having a spiral groove therein to form a continuation of the spiral track.

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent as the description of the invention proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my track supporting means.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the invention on the line 22, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view on the line 3-3, Fig. 1, showing the track mounted on the carrying seat of the supporting hook.

In the drawing, the reference numeral I indicates the threaded portion of a supporting hook or hanger 2, the threaded portion being adapted for installation on any suitable support, from a wall or ceiling for example.

The hook 2 is substantially J-shaped, as shown, and the outer end 3 thereof is enlarged and provided with a concave cradle or bearing seat 4 of substantially semi-circular cross section, the seat 4 extends across the upper end of the enllargled end 3 at right angle to the plane of the Centrally of the seat 4, a downwardly extendibialims. (or; innate), T

ing. Iopening is provided, and a rotatable. bearing, 6. is installed tthereinxbymeans of a pin or shaft 1 extendingmfihrough-the walls of the enlarged end 3. Thebearing ,6 preferably of the ball;bearing .type andtwo of such placedinlside by ,side. relation are preferred, 7 .As 1 shown, the

, bearings are-disposed in the, opening .at,:11ight tangles. to 1 the planepf r the, seat 4, thus providing g ,aneiiicient seat to rotatably support theaxially ,10. 1 1 The most inexpensive track ,fonuse with the mrotatable, track,

stant invention compriseslengths of common pipe 1 ,8 withwire flgwound-thereonin ahelix or screw, was showmand, it maybereadilyseen that objects hung; on hooks may be 1 moved longitudinally of l the screw track by; rotating the latter axially.

It has been a problem to support the track above described so that it will rotate freely without jumping or vibrating and without causing excessive wear to the supporting elements or to the wire spiral on the track.

To overcome this difficulty, I have provided a coupling member l0 which joins the individual sections of track. The coupling [0 comprises a preferably solid cylindrical member of substantially the same diameter as th pipe 8 used for the track 8-9, as shown. Each end of the coupling i0 is provided with means for connecting with adjacent track sections, preferably a threaded shank II, as shown. Thus, a track section may be threaded on each of the shanks II and a continuous length of track will be provided. However, the wire helix does not lend itself to coact with a track supporting device; therefore, I have provided a helical groove I2 in the outer surface of the coupling member, forming a continuation of the wire screw.

To connect the screw groove with the wire screw of the track sections, I prefer to cut the ends of the wire 9 at an angle, as at l3, adjacent each coupling and provide a short groove 14 in the pipe in which the angularly cut end of the wire is carried. The wire used for the screw of the track sections preferably has a spring tendency so that the end l3 of the wire is biased into the groove M at all times. Thus, any pressure or stress which may be developed, tending to move the end 13 of the wire out of its desired position, will be overcome by the end 13 of the wire being carried in the groove [4. The beveled ends I3 also will guide the hooks, indicated at l5, which are carried on the track, into the groove I4. By aligning the groove I4 with the groove l2 on the coupling, a continuous, uninterrupted travel is provided for the hooks l5 along the track from the track on to the coupling, and, obviously, the hooks will be guided by the groove 12 across the coupling and be transferred to the wire 9 on the succeeding track section by passing from the groove l2 into the adjacent groove [4 where the hook will engage the beveled end [3 and be carried out of the groove l4 and on to the track section. The construction of the hook 2 and bearing here shown, obviously, will not interfere with the travel of hooks.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a device for transporting objects on hooks, a plurality of axially rotatable sections, each of said sections comprising a length of pipe and a wire arranged helically on the surface of said pipe forming a screw conveyor; a coupling intermediate said sections, said couplings comprising a member of substantially the same diameter as said pipe, means at each end of said coupling to connect to said sections, a helical groove in said couplings forming a continuation of the screw of said pipe; and means to support said sections at said couplings.

2. In a device for transporting objects on hooks, a plurality of axially rotatable sections, each of said sections comprising a length of pipe and a wire arranged helically on the surface of said pipe forming a screw conveyor; a coupling intermediate said sections, said couplings comprising a member of substantially the same diameter as said pipe, means at each end of said coupling to connect to said sections, a helical groove in said couplings forming a continuation of the screw on said pipe; and means to support said sections at said couplings, said supporting thereof and said thread of each of said sections being joined with, that of each adjacent section to form a continuous screw conveyor, and means for supporting said track, said supporting means comprising a hook having an upwardly disposed end portion, a bearing seat on said end portion, said seat being open upwardly whereby said track may be received therein, and a rotatable bearing carried on said end portion and extending above said seat whereby a freely rotatable mounting is provided for said sections.

CARL DAHLBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 850,097 Perkins Apr. 9, 1907 1,981,096 Dubus Nov. 20, 1934 1,984,659 Simmons et al. Dec. 18, 1934 

